Investigation launched into assault on hijab-wearing student in Chicago middle school

A violent incident at Glenside Middle School in Glendale Heights, Chicago, has sparked an investigation as a male student attacked a girl wearing a hijab. The assault, which was recorded on video, shows the male student grabbing the girl's head, placing her in a headlock, and pushing her to the ground near the lockers. The victim, a recent immigrant from Saudi Arabia, had been attending the school for two months.

Investigation Launched

Police are currently investigating the assault that targeted a girl wearing a hijab at the suburban Chicago middle school. The incident occurred on Thursday at Glenside Middle School in Glendale Heights, as reported by the Chicago Tribune on Monday. A video taken by a student's cellphone captured the male student grabbing the girl's head, holding her in a headlock, and then shoving her to the ground near the lockers. It's important to note that a hijab is an Islamic headscarf. The local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations has reported that the girl is from Saudi Arabia and had only been at the school for two months.

School Superintendent's Response

The superintendent of Queen Bee School District 16, Joseph Williams, informed the newspaper that the students involved in the incident have been identified, and there's currently no indication that the attack was motivated by bigotry. Williams emphasized, "This is a serious disciplinary incident, and we’re handling it as such, but we have no evidence that this was some act of intolerance related to a matter of faith." He further added, "This type of behavior is aberrant; we completely won’t tolerate it. Our duty at this point is to protect the child through what happened, and then respond within the limits of the law, understanding that everybody here is a child."

Investigation Continues

Glendale Heights Police Department officials have not yet responded to the Tribune's messages seeking comment. Similarly, a message left with the village’s spokesperson by The Associated Press after hours on Monday evening has not yet received a response. Williams revealed that the victim is one of 91 students who are new to the country attending school in the district, and he stated that the approximately 1,700 students in the district speak 52 different languages.